Pre Course Questionnaire - Lead Auditor ISO 14001

IEMA Approved Lead Environmental Auditor Course(Please bring this with you to the course)

Pre-course preparation

The following activities are intended to help you prepare for the course so that you will gain maximum benefit. As with most things thorough preparation is the key to success.

The pre-course work is also intended to help bridge the gap between the ‘real’ and the ‘training’ worlds.

Before attending, we recommend that you discuss with your manager this pre-course work and establish what benefits you need to gain by your attendance and what you will be doing on your return to build on the skills taught.

Pre-course Activities 1

The following documents will be useful pre-course preparation.

ISO 14001:2004 (review the requirements to help answer this pre-course questionnaire)

2. If possible make yourself familiar with your organisations audit procedures for your, or a client’s, organisation and any environmental management system (EMS) assessment procedures.

3. Your answers to the following questions will be referred to in course discussions. At first you might find them difficult to answer. Do not worry about this. It is the process of thinking about what the answers might be that is important. There will be adequate opportunity to discuss and refine your answers during the course.

These questions are intended to reinforce your knowledge of the standard.

a. What are the main elements of ISO 14001?

b. What are the key differences and similarities between environmental and quality Management systems?

c. Why is legislation important in an ISO 14001 compliant Environmental Management System?

d. Which clauses of ISO 14001 require documented procedures?

e. What is the relationship between a management review and audit?

f. What do you consider to be the similarities and differences between ISO 14001 and EMAS?

The following are typical examples of findings raised during an EMS audit. Decide which clauses of ISO 14001 have not been complied with. You should also comment on the adequacy of the nonconformity statement e.g. the sufficiency of information given to enable corrective action to be taken.

g. Contractor ABC Ltd working on site was not aware of the site environmental policy

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

h. Not all monthly Management Reviews of the EMS have been recorded e.g. May 1999.

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

i. Corrective action for areas of non-compliance noted during internal audits have not all been completed

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

j. Environmental responsibilities have not been defined and allocated

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

k. There is no issue status on individual pages of environmental procedure EP8

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

l. A spill of oil occurred in the Machine Shop on Monday 15th August and was not reported

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

m. Employees joining in the month of July have not received induction training in environmental management

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

n. The environmental aspects of services and goods provided by contractors and suppliers has not been evaluated

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

o. ABC LTD’s environmental policy commits the company to reduce its use of natural resources. Targets have not been set to reduce the consumption of energy.

ISO 14001 Clause?

Adequacy?

p. Objectives and targets set to reduce the level of air emissions have not been achieved by the due date.